Welcome to this lecture on environmental monitoring. After this lecture, you will learn about what environmental monitoring case, goals, and objectives of environmental monitoring, the main stages of environmental monitoring, and the environmental monitoring program. Observation method is used in different types of scientific and practical human activities. This method of learning is based on a long-term perception of objects and processes for a certain purpose and according to a given plan. Physics, biology, geography, agriculture and medicine, all fields of human activity, their observation method is widely and efficiently use. Since ancient times, people could not fully explore the world around them, be it the distant space or the structure of a tiny atom. However, they could observe the phenomena and processes and draw useful conclusions from it. For example, astronomers of ancient Greece proved the sphericity of the Earth based on observation of the shape of the Earth's shadow in lunar eclipses. They also observed the movements of celestial bodies and on this basis could predict solar and lunar eclipses, which was very important for the people of that time. After centuries, the term monitoring a period. Monitoring is a system for collection storage and analysis of a small number of key parameters of the object to obtain data on the state of the object in general. Human activities, and in particular the energy industry, have a significant impact on natural processes. Without constant observation, it is difficult to say what consequences this influence lead to and it is difficult to control it. For this reason, there is a special type of monitoring environmental monitoring. This is a system of observations, assessment and forecast of changes in the environment, created to highlight the anthropogenic component of this change against the background of natural processes. This approach helps to identify both changes occurring in natural processes and changes occurring under human influence. As a result of the monitoring, the environmental quality and dynamics of changes are assessed. Environmental monitoring involves observation of all components of the environment, soil, water, air and biological resources. The environmental monitoring system is based on a network of observation points which are installed in cities on water bodies, both in areas with high anthropogenic impact, and on uncontaminated sites. So what task does environmental monitoring solve? Monitoring the level of air, soil, water pollution in order to study the distribution of pollutants in the time and space. Assess and predict their state of the environment determine the efficiency of protection measures. Providing state authorities with systematic and emergency information on changes in air, soil and water pollution levels caused by human activity, forecasts on possible changes in pollution levels. Providing organizations with recommendations on environmental protection and rational use of natural resources. Drawing up economic development plans taking into account the state of the environment. Let's look at the main stage of environmental monitoring. The first stage is determination of the observation object. It is necessary to conduct a preliminary study to understand what will be observed. What indicators are the most important and what sources of anthropogenic impact exists in this region. The next stage is to create a network of observation points. These may be stationary or mobile observation points. Observation points are equipped with sensors or samples can be collected manually at this point. Then the data is collected for a certain period of time. The data are collecting using monitoring plan which specifies the time of sampling, number of samples and key indicators. After the accumulation of sufficient information, its initial analysis and processing of results is performed. The information collected is then used to assess the environmental situation and develop management solution to improve the environmental quality and reduce anthropogenic impact. The environmental monitoring program is necessary. It is a plan that should contain specific monitoring strategies and implementation mechanisms. Their key elements of environmental monitoring programs are list of monitored objects with a strict territorial reference, list of control indicators and permissible areas for the modification, time frame, and sampling frequency. In addition, the monitoring program should include schemes, maps, tables with location, date and methods of sampling. Observations should be systematic. Indicators should be measured using the same methods at different observation points. Monitoring programs are formed on the principle of selection of priority pollutants. The priority of components is related to the regional economy and local impact sources. So in this lecture, you have learned about environmental monitoring, its goals and objectives, the main stages of environmental monitoring, and the environmental monitoring program. In the next lecture, we will consider the classification of environmental monitoring.
